Peeter Tooming (EE, 1939–1997) was an Estonian photographer and filmmaker. Tooming was one of the founders of the STODOM photographers group in 1964, which became an important influence on photographic life in Estonia. In his works and writings, Tooming emphasised the possibilities of subjecting pictorial language offered by optics and photochemistry – above all, he presented modernist conceptions of the ‘independence’ of pictorial space in relation to everyday experience. In total, Tooming published 15 photo books and albums, had over 120 solo shows and participated in over 300 international photography contests and exhibitions.
At Foto Tallinn, Art & Tonic gallery will present a dialogue between Martin Salundi and Peeter Tooming. The two artists, despite living in different centuries, both followed a similar career path in working professionally as film operators. Besides their professional activities in the film world, both share a true and undeniable passion for photography, and for documenting life around them through this medium. The dialogue of Salundi and Tooming is not so much an overview of the developments of street photography over the past 50 years, but rather a collection of carefully captured snapshots of the everyday lives, hopes and dreams of different generations. Despite the rapid development of technology and ways of thinking over the past few decades, we still see many similarities and points of connection between the photography of the two men.
Artist is presented by Art & Tonic Gallery
